The YDPG and Vietiane Times jointly launch China·Yunnan, an English news special, in Vientiane, capital of the Lao PDR, on Dec 23, 2015.

As the first Chinese media to publish news page in Laos, Yunnan Daily Press Group(YDPG), the most influential media company in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, signed an agreement with Lao daily English newspaper Vientiane Times on Wednesday, to jointly run China·Yunnan as a supplement to Vientiane Times every Friday.

Chinese ambassador to Laos Guan Huabing, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Lao PDR Savanhkone Razmountry,Vice President of Lao-Chinese Cooperation Committee Vichit Xindavong, Secretary of Lao-Chinese Friendship Association Committee Sikhoun Bounvilay witnessed the launching ceremony in capital Vientiane.

"The issuing of China·Yunnan is a concrete step to promote China-Lao comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership featuring high-level mutual trust, mutual assistance, and mutual benefits, and is specific practice to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road," Deputy Editor-in-Chief of YDPG Zhu Yi delivered a speech in the event.

Thonglor Duangsavanh, director general of Lao Press in Foreign Languages, spoke highly of the cooperation with YDPG. He said, the cooperation between both sides would not be restricted to information exchanges,but to endeavor to personnel training, new media cooperation, exchanging commercial advertisements and other fields in the future.

"China-Laos Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Partnership has maintained a long-term growth and achieved fruitful results. The two countries have kept close coordination and cooperation in regional and international affairs. Media plays a significant role in enhancing people-to-people contact and we see increasing trade between two sides and more frequent visits among senior officials," He said.

China·Yunnan is the 12th special page of YDPG published overseas, until now, the Group has already established cooperation partnerships with the US, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Thailand, aiming to build a fully-integrated media group with regional influence on South Asia and Southeast Asian countries.

The coverage of China·Yunnan will focus on the latest situation and measures of Yunnan's innovation-driven development, balanced development, green development, open development and development for all; harmonious and consolidated new life of all ethnic groups of Yunnan; achievements of ecological protection in Yunnan; displaying Yunnan's image of friendliness, opening-up and rich diversity. It is intended to improve the understanding of Lao people of all circles on Yunnan, provide information to the people of Laos concerning investment and commerce, tourism, exchanges and visits, and enhance friendship between both sides, together promote social-economic development of Yunnan and Laos.

Vientiane Times is a leading and daily English newspaper in the Lao PDR which was established in 1994 under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. There are six issues per week except on Sunday and Vientiane Times provides news online, facebook, SMS and website. Vientiane Times publishes 5,000 issues per day.